2 soldiers killed, 6 wounded in landmine blast in Davao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Two soldiers were killed following a landmine blast believed set off by leftist rebels in Davao del Norte early today, the military said.

Six other government troops were wounded in the incident in a hinterland village in Kapalong town, in Mindanao's Davao del Norte province, said Colonel Harold Cabreros, commander of the army's 1003rd Infantry Brigade.

Cabreros said troops from the army's 60th Infantry Battalion were conducting combat patrol at Gupitan village when they clashed with dozens of New People's Army guerrillas around 7:30 a.m.

"Our troops were hit by an improvised explosive device (IED), killing two soldiers and wounding six others," Cabreros told Xinhua by text message, adding pursuit operation was launched against the rebels.

Tuesday's clash came even as leftist guerrillas released during the day four policemen they captured over last July 10 during a deadly raid at a police station in the eastern Mindanao province of Surigao.